IHT Editor Michael Oreskes Becomes AP Managing Editor

By: Joe Strupp Michael Oreskes, executive editor of the International Herald Tribune, has been named the Associated Press' new managing editor for U.S. News.

"In the newly expanded position, Oreskes will oversee all U.S. news from The Associated Press, from state bureaus to national political coverage, for both U.S. and world audiences," AP said in a statement.

?We?re delighted to have an editor with Michael?s breadth take up this important new position in the AP,?? Kathleen Carroll, the AP's executive editor, said in a statement. ?His experience at every level of coverage, in every format for audiences in the United States and across the globe, makes him uniquely suited for this position.?

Oreskes, 53, has been executive editor of the International Herald Tribune, a New York Times Co. property, since 2005. Prior to that, he served as deputy managing editor of The New York Times, supervising television and Internet content. During that period, he won three Emmy awards and a DuPont award for documentary television.

Oreskes will join the AP in July and will be based at its New York headquarters.

"With his background as metro editor and statehouse bureau chief, he will be a strong advocate for the strong state reports that make AP unique,? Senior Managing Editor Mike Silverman said in a statement. ?And with his Washington experience added in, he can help our journalists connect the dots between the federal government and the states and citizens it serves."

Oreskes will oversee the work of AP?s bureaus in all 50 states, which will report to him through four regional desks that are being created in 2008 and 2009. He will also supervise the work of the Washington bureau and AP's national feature, beat and investigative reporters.

The hiring of Oreskes, a former Times Washington Bureau chief from 1997 to 2001, comes just a week after former AP Washington Bureau Chief Sandy Johnson was removed from the top bureau post. Her replacement has yet to be named, but AP officials say a new bureau chief will be hired to replace her.

In a memo to IHT staff, Oreskes offered praise of their work and hope that the overseas publication can continue to thrive: "Journalism has a bright future and so does the IHT as the global edition of The New York Times. What we all need to do is to continue to invent, create and imagine ever new and better ways to reach our audience. Our relationship with our audience is what will carry us through these difficult times."

Oreskes will be one of four managing editors, joining John Daniszewski, in charge of international coverage; Kristin Gazlay, in charge of business news and training, and Lou Ferrara, in charge of sports, entertainment and a merged multimedia and graphics department.

Oreskes began his career with the Times in 1981, as a metropolitan correspondent. Before that,he worked for the New York Daily News. He is a graduate of City College of New York.